Sewing-machines



o. i@ Si? @timed tant @admittance AMOS WHITTEMORE,.OF CAMBRIDGEPORT,MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 89,104, dated April 20,1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A Mos WHITTEMORE, of Gambridgeport, in the county ofMiddlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and improvedMechanical Movement, for Operating Sewing-M achines, Vatchmakers Lathes,and other light machinery; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specication, in which- Figure1, sheet 1, is a perspective view of one form of my improved mechanicalmovement applied to a sewing-machine, and adapted for driving suchmachine by a person sitting thereat.

Figures 2 and 3, sheet 1, are side elevations of the seat in twopositions.

Figure 4, sheet 1, is a friction-regulator, for reducing -or increasingthe speed of the machine.

Figure 5, sheet 1, is a friction-brake, for stopping the machine Withoutremoving the weight from the seat.

Figure 6, sheet 2, is an enlarged side elevation of a' train of wheelsadapted for receiving rotary motion from a movable support, andtransmitting motion to sewing-machine, lathe, or other lighty machine.

Figure 7, sheet 2, is a front elevation of movable support-s, adaptedfor transmitting motion to a sewing-machine, lathe, or other lightmachine, by the weight of a person standing thereat.

Figure 8, sheet 2, is a side elevation of g. 7.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severaliigures.

The nature of my invention consists, iirst, in a novel arrangement andcombination of a seat-frame, having a curvilinear vibrating movement,with a pawl, a ratchet,

or other toothed wheel, an intermediate system of gearwheels, and adriving-shaft of a sewing-machine, or other small machine, which is tobe driven by force of gravitation, whereby a person sitting on the seatin a steady posture is enabled, by his weight alone, to keep Third, myinvention consists in the combination of the device for equalizing thespeed of the machine driven, with the seat, ratchet, and pawl, andintermediate gearing, whereby the machine may be run regularly bypersons of different weights.

My invention consists, fourth, in the combination of the pawl andratchet of the vibrating seat, and the ratchet and pawlsi oli thevertically-movin g feet-stands,

with the intermediate mechanism and driving-shaft of a sewing-machine,or other small machine, whereby the operator can, at will, operate themachine to be driven by his weight, either in a sitting or a standingposture.

My invention consists, fifth, in locating the axis of the seat-framebelow and in line, or nearly so, with the axis of the ratchet-wheel, incombination with the applying of the pawl, near the upper end of theseat-frame, so that the seat-frame, by being adjusted to a nearlyupright position, will move the pawl some distanceiback of the centre ofthe ratchet, and thus insure action upon a large number of theratchet-teeth before lthe weight of the operator is"re quired to bewithehawn from the seat, in order to commence a new run of the machine,and also along leverage for readjusting the seat is obtained. Thus,without the use of a spring as a retainer of power, and also without thenecessity of resorting to a straight or vertical movement, in connectionwiththe direct application of the weight of the operator, I am enabledto drive the machine without muscular power being -brought into play,other than for readjusting the seat.

My invention consists, sixth, in the combination of the foot-rest M mwith the seat-frame,'arranged as described, and connected with thedriving-shaft of a sewing-machine, or other small machine, byintermediate gearing.

My'invention consists, seventh, in the combination of the stop S withthe pawl and with the seat-frame, which operates as described.

To enable others skilled inthe art to understand my invention, I willdescribe the best means known to me for carrying it into effec-t.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the table of asewing-machine, and B the balance-wheel or pulley applied to thedriving-shaft of such machine, which shalt is driven by means of a belt,c, passed around said wheel, and also around a large balance oriy-wheel, D, shown in iig. 41.

The fly-wheel D is applied to a shaft, b', which has its bearings in aframe, C, that may be secured perma- 'nently to the table A, in anysuitable manner, or it may be constructed so as'to have an independentsupport, with means for readily attaching it to or detaching it fromsaid table. A

The frame O is designed for containing and supporting a train of largeand small gear-whcels,which will communicate a fast rotary motion t0 thefly-wheel D, from a comparatively slow rotary motion given to thehorizontal shaft 1.

The drawings, figs. 1 and 2, represent a train of eight wheels gearedtogether, so as to communicate a' very rapid rotary motion' to theily-wheel D, `but a greater or less number of wheels may be used in thetrain.

The main spur-wheel H of this train is keyed upon the horizontal shaftI, which I shall 'term the main driving-shaft, and which carries on oneend, outside of frame C, a ratchet-wheel, J, the teeth of` which areengaged by a gravitating pawl, or dog, G, that is pivoted, at t, to oneof two vibrating arms K, upon which a seat, K', for the operator' of themachine, is supported.

The two seat-arms K K are pivoted, at their lower ends,'at c c, to abase-support, L, so that they can vibrate in vertical planes.

The pawl, or dog G is arranged on top of the ratchetwheel J, andprovided with an arm, S, extending from one side of it, so as to checkthe seat K' and freeends of arms K K, when they have descended as'fa'ras required.

The seat-carrying arms arepivoted in, or nearly in, a vertical planeintersecting theaxis of the shaft '1, and these arms rise on that sideof sliaft I nearest the table A, so that the weight of a person sittingon the seat K' will be transferred to' the wheel J, through pawl G, insuch manner as will cause this wheel to turn slowly in the directionindicated by the arrows in figs. I, 2, and 3, and as this wheel turns bythe weight of the person' upon seat K', this seat will slowly descend,and at the same time move forward toward table A, until the stop S comesin contact with the -frame C.

Fig. 2 represents the seat at its higest point, and f5 shows the seatwhen checked at its lowest point.

In practice, the movement of the seat K', toward and from the table A,need not exceed twelve inches, which will not be found inconvenient tothe operation, inasmuch as the forward motion will be very slow andregular.

M represents a rest for the feet of the operator, which Vmay be securedpermanently to a fixed crosslbar, A', oi the table A, in such relationto the seat K the feet.

This foot-rest M is provided with a heel-piece,.m, shown, which willafforda purchase for the heels of the operator in the descent of theseat K, while the rest M will afford a purchase for the legs in the actlof raising the seat or pushing it back, after every descending stroke.

During the descent of K, by the weight of the operator upon it, averyrapid rotary motion will be communicated to the fly-wheel D during theascending, as well as the descending strokes of the seat K. A pawl,'ordog, Gr', may be pivoted to one of the seat-arms K,'so as to act uponwheel J during the backward strokes of the seat, and turn it in the samedirection as when the pawl, or dog G is acting upon it.

I do not confine myself to the use oitwo pawls, or

dogs for acting upon wheel J, as the pawl, or dog G, acting alone by theweight of the operator upon seat .K, will give a regular motion to thewheel D, if this wheel is properly balanced or loaded.

' It is obvious that the wheel J may bedispensed with, and the spurred'wheel H of the train arranged so as to be directly acted upon by eitherone or both of the dogs, thus dispensing with one wheel.

The frame C and itstrain may be enclosed Within a box, or closet, so asto be out of sight and out of the way.

As the weight of dii'lerent persons operating the same machine will varyconsiderably, I have provided for maintaining a given rate of speed, orfor increasing or diminishing the speed of the machine at pleasure, alsofor stopping the machine, when required, without rising from the seat.

In 1i g. 4, B represents the driving-shaft of a sewingmachine, to whichI apply a spring, g, which is secured to the cloth-bed, and providedwith an adj usting-screw,

g, that is tapped into the cloth-bed, and adapted for actingupon springg, so as to press its free end with more or less force upon the shaft B.

By regulating the pressure of spring g on shaft B',

this shaft may be more or less restrained, and its speed regulated to anicety.

For stopping the movement of the machine at any moment, I employ afriction-stop, shown in fig. 5, consisting of a vibrating arm, d, and aloaded arm, d.

The arm cl* has aiiction-surface applied to its lower edge, and thisarm, together 'with the loaded arm 1l, is fastened to a shaft, da, and'so arranged and supported, in relation' to the ily-wheel D,that whenarm d is adjusted in the position indicated by red lines in iig. 5, itsweight di will press the arm d* upon the periphery of said. wheel, andstop its motion;

In lfigs. 7 and 8, sheet 2, I have represented another mode oftransmittingrotary motion to the drivingshaft i, by the weight of aperson upon a vertically- ,movable support.

This arrangement is especially adapted for a standing-position, and, ifdesired, it may be employed in combination `with the vertically-movableseat K, so that, should an operator become fatigued by sitting, he cancommunicate motion to the machine while standing.

Under this arrangement I employ two ratchetwheels J J, keyed on shaft I,and support the outer end ofv this shaft by a standard, L', rising from.the basel L. v

Wheels J J are arranged a proper distance apart, and acted uponalternately by two gravitating pawls, or dogs, U U, which are applied,respectively, to two standards It It, rising perpendicularly fromhorizontal foot-rests RF R2.

The standards R It are pivoted, at e e, to the extremities of avertically-vibrating lever, V, having its fulcrum, e', upon a bracket,or standard, W, rising from and secured to the base L, in a position'centrally betbat a person sitting at the table can conveniently resttween the two wheels J J, as shown in iig. 7.

The upper ends of standards. R R are 'guided and held in properposition, in their vertical movements,

by means of vibrating arms T T, which are pivoted at t t.

R is a base-piece, upon which the foot-rests R2 Rz are alternatelyarrested in their descent.

A person standing vwith his feet upon the two rests RF R2, andalternately transferring his weight from one rest to another, canconveniently communicate a continuons rotary motion to the shaft I.

Having described two practical modes for enabling the operator of avsewing-machine, lathe, or other light machinery, to utilize the weightof his body, as a power for driving such Imachinery, I do not desire tobe understood as confining myself to the precise mechanical devicesherein employed, as other means, equivalent thereto, may be adopted foreiieeting a similar result.

1. The arrangement and combination of the seatframe K K, pawl G,ratchet, or other equivalent toothed wheel J, an intermediate train ofgearing, and the driving-shaft B of a machine which is to be operated byforce of gravitation, all substantially as described.

2. The combination of the friction-brake d (1*, or its equivalent, withthe seat-frame K, pawl G, ratchet J, or other equivalent wheel, anintermediate train of gearing, and the driving-shaft B', of a machinewhich is to be dri-ven by force of gravitation, substantiallyasdescribed.

3. The combination of the speed-equalizer g g, or its equivalent, withthe shaft B', and with the seatframe K K, pawl G, ratchet J, or itsequivalent, and an intermediate train of gearing, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of the pawl K and ratchet J of the seat-frame, andtheratchets J J and pawls U U of the movable foot-standsR2 R2, or theirequivalents, an intermediate train of gearing, ahd the shaft B',substantially as described.

5. The combination of the lever V, vertically-moving foot-'stands R2 R2,pawls U U, and ratchets J J,

all substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a mechanical movement, for operating small machines by the weightof the operator, locating the axis of the seatframe K K below and inline, or nearly so, with the shaft I, in combination with the arrangingof the pawl G, near the upper end of the seat-trame, substantially asdescribed.

7. i-he combination of the foot-rest M m with the

